Total Alkalinity

[cmbutterbaugh]

The pool is up and running as of yesterday. Started my 4 day shock process last night.

Tested this am and
Cl 2
pH 7.4
TA 300

Added liquid chlorine per the pool calculator. Pointed my return up to help aerate. I have read so much that my eyeballs are spinning in my head! Can someone just tell me what I should be doing at this point for the TA?

 

[duraleigh]

cm,

The best explanation is found in Pool School....."How to Lower TA"

 

[JohnT]

Before doing anything else, retest your TA, wiping the tip of the dropper bottle about every 3rd drop with a damp cloth. Some people experience static build-up issues with the test which can lead to excessively high results.

If your TA is really that high, you want to do the aeration while the pH is low. Read the Lowering Total Alkalinity
article for details.

 

[mynewpool]

You will also need some patience when doing this as it can take a while.

Here is the direct link to pool school for lowering TA as mentioned above by duraleigh.

pool-school/lowering%20total%20alkalinity

 

[cmbutterbaugh]

I wiped as you said with a damp cloth when titrating and it made no difference. I am planning on dropping my pH to 7.0 with muriatic acid and aerating. It said it could take days or even weeks so I will have to wait and see.

 

[mynewpool]

When I did mine it was around 180 and took about a month to get around 100. I was only able to lower every few days as I did not have strong aeration. If you can make the pH rise faster, then you can lower it back down which will drop the TA.

 

[cheddar85]

When I did mine it was around 180 and took about a month to get around 100. I was only able to lower every few days as I did not have strong aeration. If you can make the pH rise faster, then you can lower it back down which will drop the TA.

Couldn't have said it better myself. The more aeration you can get, the faster you can get that TA down.

 

[cmbutterbaugh]

This am my chlorine was a solid 5 (maybe more it only goes up that far) My pH was still 7.4 and TA is down to 280/290 (after having adding muriatic acid last night and aerated with my return jet pointed all the way up). I guess this is going to take a while. I have tonight and tomorrow to finish with the dichlor. Is it ok that I am trying to get the TA down in the middle of doing this?

Thanks!

 

[flyweed]

uh yeah..its gonna take a while. I started dropping my TA the end of april..it was at about 210...I have been adding MA and aerating ever since..and my TA as of June 1 is now at 130...so it does take time.

Dan